Our big bashes: storms that smashed the Coast

June 19, 2016: More than 4600 people were left without power after a storm swept through the Sunshine Coast. Akeringa Place, Mooloolaba, was worst hit. A "mini tornado" swept along the canal, tearing roofs off building sand rendering some residents homeless..

February 18, 2016: Kenilworth copped a battering in what locals described as "the worst storm in years". The storm cut a narrow but destructive path through town, ripping hoardings off shops, blowing down a shade sail over the town's popular children's playground, knocking trees over and even pushing down street signs. A tree with a metre-round truck was knocked over, leaving a 2m crater in the ground.

November 16, 2013: A storm flung hail the size of tennis balls on the Sunshine Coast. The storm cut a swathe of damage from Eudlo over Buderim in to central Maroochydore and Cotton Tree, punching holes in roofs, denting cars and smashing windscreens. The SES received nearly 200 calls for help from across the Coast, many from residents with damaged skylights and old asbestos roofs.

March 22, 2012: More than 300mm of rain was dumped on the Coast in three hours in what was described as a once-in-a-lifetime deluge. The flash flooding was so intense that motorists were forced to abandon their cars as the Nicklin Way became awash and Kawana Shoppingworld had to resort to sandbagging. Cars in underground carparks at Cotton Tree were submerged. About 200 homes in Mooloolaba were flooded and children needed to be evacuated from a childcare centre.

November 29, 1992: A thunderstorm north-west of Brisbane split into two cells. One stopped play in the First Test between Australia and the West Indies at the Gabba while the other headed towards the Sunshine Coast and intensified into a supercell. Hailstones 8-10cm in diameter pelted areas around Maroochydore, injuring swimmers and damaging cars and even aircraft.

February 29, 1985: Another tornado hit Kin Kin. Ten minutes of torrential rain and high winds left nearly every building in town with significant damage. The verandah was torn off the pub and gumtrees ripped off their stumps. The town's old butter factory was destroyed and a man who had been inside said he had been hurled to the back of the building by the wind. Residents took shelter in the town's school.

July 8, 1973: A storm brought 12 metre waves and 140km winds to the Queensland coastline, washing the Singaporean cargo ship Cherry Venture to shore a Teewah Beach, where she stayed for more than 30 years until the weather and tides took their toll, rendering the wreck dangerous, so it was demolished.

August 14, 1971: A tornado described as possibly Australia's deadliest struck Kin Kin, tearing apart eight farmhouses and leaving three people, including a baby, dead. The storm hit the valley with massive cricket-ball sized hail about 9.30pm.